It has been previously known to mount a subflame on a vehicle body via resilient bushes, and to pivotally attach the inner ends of the lower arms of a wheel suspension system to the subframe. The subframe typically comprises a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal members, and a plurality of lateral members passed across the longitudinal members. The longitudinal members and the lateral members are normally made by stamp forming sheet metal, and each member is typically provided with a closed cross section to the end of ensuring sufficient rigidity. For an example of such a subframe assembly, reference should be made to Japanese utility model publication (kokoku) No. 61-39651.
Mounting the engine on the subframe also reduces the noise that the engine conducts to the passenger compartment. Typically, the engine is mounted on the lateral members which have a closed cross section. However, mounting an engine directly on lateral members creates the need to increase the mechanical strength of the lateral members because the engine tends to apply highly localized stress on the lateral members. This causes an undesirable increase in the weight of the lateral members.